Rumblings xtra: Items that didn't make print edition

By: Bob Hunter

The Columbus Dispatch - January 18, 2013 09:24 AM

Ohio State defensive tackle Johnathan Hankins is ticketed for the New Orleans
Saints with the No. 15 pick in the mock draft of ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. Wisconsin running back Montee
Ball is the only other Big Ten player Kiper has being taking in the first round, going No. 21 to
the Cincinnati Bengals. Kiper also listed the top five players at each position and has OSU’s Zach
Born as the No. 3 fullback in the draft.

The Arizona Cardinals’ hiring of Bruce Arians as head coach also has an impact in
Ohio pro football circles: It means that Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden will be back for
his third season with Cincinnati. In addition to the Cardinals, Gruden also interviewed for
the head coaching positions with the San Diego, Philadelphia and Jacksonville, all of which have
filled their vacancies. This could be viewed as bad news for Gruden, but good news for the
Bengals.

An analysis by Yahoo.com’s Jeff Passan estimates that the Reds will have the
fourth largest payroll hike in the major leagues to start the 2013 season. Their 2012 opening day
payroll ($82,203,616) will jump to $107 million on opening day this year, an increase of 30.16
percent. The report estimates that only the Dodgers (123.87%), Blue Jays (52.34%) and Nationals
(38.93%) will have larger increases. The Reds’ payroll increase dwarfs most of the other teams in
the National League Central. The Cubs’ show an increase of 16.78 percent and the Cardinals’
increase is listed at 4.26 percent; the Pirates (-13.29%) and Brewers (-26.27%) are both cutting
payrolls this year.

For the second season in a row, the Cleveland Browns had the most butterfingered
receiving corp in the AFC North. The Browns dropped 27 passes in 2012, according to ESPN
Stats & Information, an improvement over the 33 they dropped in 2011. The Bengals were second
with 25 drops, followed by the Steelers (23) and Ravens (21). Cincinnati Pro Bowl wide receiver
A.J. Green was charged with the most drops – 9 – but he also was the target on 158 passes. By
contrast, Browns receiver Greg Little dropped seven balls in just 85 targeted passes. Little led
the division with 11 drops a year ago.